GrandCanyon, Arizona- During the past week, sporadic precipitation and cool temperatures slowed fire activity on the Point Fire. The fire continues to burn at a low intensity in Ponderosa pine forest near Point Sublime. The current size is estimated at 2,624 acres.
Crews have begun burn out operations on the W4 Road to create a fuel break north of the fire. Fire personnel have also secured historic sites and structures within the planned management area to prevent any adverse impacts. In order to safely manage the fire as it progresses, the park has now closed the W1 Road west of the Basin and south of the junction with the Swamp Ridge Road.
Crews will also continue to ignite piles of woody debris along Highway 67 south of the park entrance in order to safely remove accumulations of hazardous fuels gathered from a previous mechanical thinning treatment. Light smoke from the Point Fire and pile burning may be visible within the canyon during early morning and above the Walhalla Plateau during late afternoons.
Point Fire Facts:
Start Date:July4, 2011
Location:Approximately10 mileswest of the North Rimdeveloped areain the vicinityof WallaValleyand Point Sublime.
Size:2,624 acres
Fuels:PonderosaPine with occasional patches of mixed conifer
Management Objectives:ThePointFireis beingmanaged to achievemultiple objectives.
· Resourceobjectives forthe fireincludemaintainingfirein a fire-adapted ecosystem, reducinghazardousaccumulations of forest fuelsand recyclingof forest nutrients.
· Objectives forthe fireincludeprotection of sensitive cultural resources and critical wildlifehabitatareas.
Closures:Inordertoassurefirefighterandvisitorsafety,thePointSublimeRoad (alsoknownastheW4Road)iscloseduntilfurthernoticefromitsjunctionwiththeW1
Road, out to and includingPoint Sublime. The W1 Road is now closed west of the Basin and south of the junction with the Swamp Ridge Road.
SmokeImpacts:Duringperiodsofincreasedfireactivity,smokefromthePointFireis visiblefromUSHighway 64asfarsouthasValle,SouthRimviewpoints,theRimTrail, USHighway 67,theNorthRimentrancestationandsomeNorthRimviewpoints. Coordination with theArizonaDepartment of Environmental Qualityis ongoing.
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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
